Hame-hook



(No Model.)

A. THOMSON. HAMB HOOK.

No. 521,901. Patented June 26, 1894.

PATENT FFICE.

ALEXANDER THOMSON, OF FITOHBURG, MASSACHUSETTS.

HAM E-HOOK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 521,901, dated June 26,1 894.

I Application filed December 28,1 893. Serial No. 494.982. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Beit known that I, ALEXANDER THOMSON, of Fitchburg, in the county ofWorcester and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Hame- I-Iooks; and I do hereby declare thefollowing to be a full, clear, and exact descrip tio'n of the same,reference being had to'the accompanying drawings, forming a part 'ofthis specification, and to the letters of reference marked thereon.

This invention relates to improvements in devices for attaching the endsof the traces to the hames or to the collar where metallic or othercollars adapted for use without hames are employed, the objects of theinvention being to provide a strong and simple structure which whilepermitting the trace to be attached and detached when desired, with theutmost facility, will effectually prevent its accidental detachment, theinvention being especially applicable where the traces are. loose as inthe street car service.

The invention consists in certain novel details of construction andcombinations and arrangements of parts, all as will be now described andpointed out particularly in the appended claim.

Referring to the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 is a perspective viewof a device constructed in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is asimilar View with the keeper raised. Fig. 3 is a top plan view. Fig. atis a detail section through the hook'and keeper showing the constructionof the latter for embracing the end of the hook.

Like letters of reference in ures indicate the same parts.

I have shown the body A ofthe device adapted particularly forapplication to a metallic collar or rigid hames with means, consistingof the series of vertical apertures a for adjusting it vertically tovary the angle of draft. The hook portion B over which the eye 0 in theend of the trace is adapted to be passed, is preferably cast integralwith the body A and properly curved to fit around the edge of theshoulder pad, and the extreme end 6 of the hook is brought back injuxtaposition to the portion b of the body, the space between them beingjust sufficient to allow for the passage of the trace eye, as will theseveral figbe readily understood. The shape of the opening in which theeye rests is preferably substantially oval and the hook is usually 'madesomewhat flat in cross section so as to secure the maximum strength withthe least weight of metal. As thus constructed, it is found that thetraces are liable to swing, turn or jolt 0E the hook, which objectionhas led to the invention of various forms of locking devices for closingthe, entrance or escape opening for the trace eye, but all of whichdevices, so far as I am aware, are either objectionable because of theirintricacy and cost, their delicacy or their inefi'iciency.

With a view to overcoming these objections and providing a device whichwill not only positively lock the trace eye within the hook, and at thesame time, a device which shall be of equal strength with the body ofthe hook, I provide a double pivoted retainer F, the arms of whichembrace the portion 1) of the body A, and are pivotally connectedthereto by a through rivet G. The two side pieces F of this retainer arelong enough to embrace the end of the hook, as they are swung down.. andpreferably also to embrace a portion of the hook shank when in lockedposition and as the said side pieces are rigidly connected by thecentral web f, it will be seen at once, that any lateral strain upon thekeeper is re sisted by the book itself, the whole device so far as anylateral movement is concerned, being practically i ntegralnt,

As an additional precaution against all possibility of the trace eyeescaping from the hook, and more especially to guard against and preventthe trace eye from working the keeper up and so opening the escapechannel, I recess the end of the keeper against which the eye strikeswhen the keeper is turned down as, at h, thus when the eye is thrownback against the keeper, or over the top of the hook and around thekeeper, the portion of the keeper projecting forward below the eye willprevent the keeper from rising. This recessing or cutting away of thekeeper, it will be observed, not only prevents.

all possibility of its being accidentally raised by the traceeye, butalso gives a regular conformation to the opening in which the eye worksand thus prevents any binding of the parts on each other.

cally in cross section and having the re1atively narrow entranceopening, of the gravitating keeper F pivotally connected to the bodyabove the level of the hook opening but adjacent to the entrance openingand having the web adapted to enter the same, the end of the keeperbeing recessed to counteract the tendency of the cooperating member towork the same open said keeper when closed being downwardly inclined;substantially as described.

ALEXANDER TIIOMSOh l.

Witnesses:

ll. G. TOWNSEND, HARRISON BAILEY.

